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Just got myself re-domesticated back in glorious Newcastle, right on the Tyne. I can even walk to the match from here, bliss, and in the process got myself back online, after what seems months (actually, it was) of blissfully computer free activity. Try it sometimes. It’s great!

So I decided to visit my ‘myspace’ page (confession, the guys from the web site run it, first time I ever took a peek… fucking hell, some stunning girls on there! Hey, I’m single, get in touch!), along with this very website and got a bit of a shock reading through the intro page that has been up for far, far too long.

Shit! 2005 was certainly one fucked up year.

What a difference time makes in one’s emotional engineering. I’d best illustrate that point further, but first can I just please say that I am not the depressed guy that reading through that entry would paint me as. Don’t get me wrong, that was a pretty accurate portrait of a traumatic period in my life. We’ve all had them, we’ll get more, but the point I’m trying to make is that just as all things must pass (the good and the bad) it’s probably a good idea to let people know.

Going through a bad patch? Get it out of your system. Tell people. Going through a great phase? See above.

Everything moves along. Time is a fidgety fucker with a low boredom threshold, and just as you wish the best party you ever went to would never end, the darkest periods of your entire life will only stick to the very marrow of your soul until it’s time to split. The great thing about being in a slump is that you get out of it a much stronger person, with more appreciation for some of things you may have taken for granted previously. Friends, family, music, your good points, the list is as long as it is personal. So what’s so bad about it then? It’s actually pretty cool to go through a depression (not that I’d recommend it, you understand), just make sure that you actually get through to the other end. You’ll be amazed at the results. Seriously.

So what’s been happening since my last post? Fuck, where to start?

Firstly, I guess thanks are in order. The solo album (‘Valor Del Corazon’… and can I just get one thing out of the way? I have Spanish and Mexican friends and I obviously asked them for the correct way of translating that title literally. They all told me that the proper way to say it is Valor DE Corazon. Thing is, I woke up one morning with the title right in my face, and while I know it isn’t text book Spanish, I was getting tons of spiritual information, divine support and genuine paranormal weirdness around me. So much so that I took it for granted that this was completely natural within the whole ‘fixing yourself’ process. Anyway, I wasn’t going to argue with an album title given to me from sources beyond my surroundings. So, as illiterate as it may read to my Spanish speaking fans I stuck with it! Anyway, this solo album…) was finally finished and released through my own label, with the wonderful help of Sammy Andrews and a fine team of fans tirelessly working its profile on the internet. Yeah, I know I said I don’t like computers (apart from the ones in the studio, which I love with the kind of zest that I normally reserve for breaking guitars) and the internet, but I love other people doing it!

So thank you a million times to those that helped make this album such a shock to some of the retailers who refused to stock it, until the pre-orders started coming in! Would have loved to have seen their face when it appeared as the number one pre-order on their industry lists!

You guys all rock so hard that you make me hard. Does that sound weird? Well, it’s true. Hey, one thing that happens when you quit drugs and heavy drinking is that you get your sex drive well and truly back! Yeah, that’s right. I’ve been clean (apart from fine red wine, which I treat as medicine that even gets you slightly drunk!) for a year, as of December 17th. I know, weird, huh? It was actually much easier than I thought. You get a ton of stuff back that you’d forgotten about (apart from an exaggerated libido), like your memory, a sense of humour, appreciation of friends, the desire to leave the house, a healthy work ethic and drive, the list is currently being completed as I speak. All of which renders you so excited about being alive that the idea of scoring drugs is something akin to wanting sex with Scarlet Johanssen. It crosses your mind, but the effort versus the likelihood of succeeding renders all thoughts null and void. Anyway I wouldn’t even know where to go for that kind of thing. And scoring drugs would be difficult too… (boom, and indeed boom).

So anyway, if you want to congratulate me next time you see me, mine’s a large absinthe and heroin chaser.

So, with the label (Round Records, more details available on the new sister site: Ginger and the Sonic Circus) all set up and running, we decided to keep communication problems to a minimum and set up a management company (Karma Management… more details available, etc etc), to handle the effective distribution of information between departments;

Me:”Hey me, wanna do this?”
Me: “Yes”.

It’s all going great so far. I know, early days ‘n’ all that. But what exciting early days these really are. And we’re going to be getting involved in merchandise too, soon. So watch this space, and check on our sister site regularly too.

There would appear to be tons of people that hate the way the industry is run, and some of them have left their ‘comfy couch’ gig, and have decided to go independent. The feeling I get is one of a Punk ethic/’80’s hedonism hybrid starting to form. Doing things yourself but having big goals. I, for one, am really fucking excited about the future. The potential is there, now if we can insert the balls (aaarrgghh! more sexual references, or am I just obsessed? Answers to www.givesafuck?.com) into the deal, then we’ll really be cooking with gas, electricity and solar power. Hey, if you don’t like the way things are being currently run then get involved. We’d like to hear from you.

Oh, and news of an exciting new charity that we are setting up imminently (Circle Of Friends), will soon be made available. It will deal with mental health issues, concentrating on community help and effective counselling, as opposed to sympathetic but untrained GP’s offering ill-advised treatment such as creating new drug habits thinly disguised as prescription drugs. Much more later.

So, back to album related news. I recently played the dreaded ‘first’ gig (well, I always dread ’em anyway) with the new band, Ginger and the Sonic Circus. It was fucking great! The group played a blinder (what superb musicians, I’m such a fan!), and the audience were typically wonderful (incidentally can the mad American bastard that gave me the IPod please get in touch? I really need to give you something in return. And, incidentally, I’m loving the music!). When playing live, I don’t know if you guys really know how much it means to have you lot singing your overstuffed hearts out to brand new songs. Needless to say it gives me the horn.

For anyone that couldn’t make it, we are touring in late March. For fucks sake get down and make history, willya? Just seeing the bands expression during the show as the whole place erupted into song, I’d love to see that look on their faces at every show on the tour. This is all your doing as much as mine, y’know?

So there we have it.

God closes a door but opens up a window.

I’m a much happier person. I’ve swapped my old addictions for a new one, positivity. Anything is possible if you can imagine yourself doing it.

Wouldn’t it be great if 2006 kicked off something that we can all get our collective gnashers around.

Hey Ho, it’s back off to work I go. Just took some time off from writing the next album (due to begin recording soon), to visit the computer quickly. Still, at least it’s got rid of that Godawful old intro page, eh?